Posted by Bryan Fischer

UPDATE: Oregon released an official statement from Chip Kelly on Monday, confirming both Kelly's contact with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers and his plans to remain as the Ducks' head coach.

“I am flattered by the interest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ organization," Kelly explained.  "I enjoyed meeting with the Glazer family and General Manager Mark Dominik but after numerous discussions, I concluded that I have some unfinished business to complete at the University of Oregon.”

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers asked for permission to engage in conversation with Coach Kelly, which was granted,” Oregon Athletics Director Rob Mullens said. “The University of Oregon is one of the nation's preeminent college football programs and, as such, it comes as no surprise the NFL is interested in our personnel. We are pleased with Coach Kelly’s decision to remain as our head coach. Coach Kelly has provided great leadership and remains committed to building on our position among the elite college football programs in the country.”

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Two sources with direct knowledge of the talks told CBSSports.com that Oregon head coach Chip Kelly had agreed in principle to take the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was in the process of finalizing details of a multi-year contract but has changed is mind and will stay at Oregon. The Register-Guard first reported the news of Kelly's departure and that he would be staying in Eugene Sunday night.

"I don't know what to say... he changed his mind," one source said via text message.

News of the possible departure first surfaced during the middle of Sunday's NFC Championship Game with a report from Portland TV station KGW sports reporter Michael Berk. Tampa Bay fired head coach Raheem Morris in January after 10 straight losses to cap a 17-31 mark over three seasons.

Kelly, 48, is coming off the most successful three-year stretch in Oregon history, capped off with the program's first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years at the beginning of this year. The Ducks are 34-6 in three seasons with Kelly as head coach, including three straight BCS bowls and an appearance in the national championship game in 2011. He came to Eugene as offensive coordinator in 2007 after spending eight seasons at New Hampshire and promptly set a host of school and conference records on the offensive side of the ball.

Numerous questions surround the timing of the move to Tampa Bay, beginning with Oregon's still-open NCAA investigation into recruiting violations surrounding supposed scout Willie Lyles. Kelly is believed to be at the center of the probe regarding, among other things, a $25,000 payment to Lyles for scouting services and any improprieties surrounding former Ducks running back Lache Seastrunk. The school has retained attorney Michael Glazier, a partner in the firm Bond, Schoeneck & King with the nickname 'The Cleaner' for his expertise in dealing with NCAA cases. Oregon received a notice of inquiry in September.

There is also the issue as to whether Kelly's fast-paced spread option offense can translate to the NFL. The Ducks have finished in the top 12 in the country in scoring offense since he took over the reigns and he's terrorized Pac-12 defensive coordinators with an explosive run game and quick passing game. Kelly has zero NFL experience but has not exactly been shy about jumping up a level, telling multiple people that he's wanted to coach in the league at some point in his career. According to The Oregonian he was making around $2.8 million per year under a recently re-worked contract with a buyout in the neighborhood of $3.5 million.

Multiple reports said Kelly was pulled off the road and did not make scheduled in-home visits on Sunday as his contract was being negotiated with the Bucs.

Posted by Jerry Hinnen

It's never, ever too early to talk about the next college football season once the previous one has passed. But it's a lot less too early once the deadline for NFL Draft declarations has passed and teams can enjoy an accurate -- or at least semi-accurate -- gauge of what their returning talent will look like next season.

Thanks to data-cruncher Phil Steele, we can enjoy that same semi-accurate gauge. As he does every January -- among the teams predicted for big things at this time last year were Michigan, Alabama and Vanderbilt -- Steele has released a comprehensive list of FBS returning starters for 2012, ranking each team 1-123. Yes, 123, thanks to the arrivals of UT-San Antonio, Texas State and UMass; Larry Coker's UTSA Roadrunners even top the list with 23 total returning starters (11 offensive, 10 defensive, and both specialists) as they ready for their first WAC season.

But of course, UTSA has its work cut out for it to make an impact, no matter how experienced its players might be. Among programs college football fans are more familiar with, here's the numbers and teams from Steele's data that stand out:

• Sharing the lead amongst all BCS programs are Texas Tech and Tennessee with 20 starters each, including quarterbacks Seth Doege and Tyler Bray, respectively. If Red Raider and Volunteer third-year coaches Tommy Tuberville and Derek Dooley can't turn that kind of experience into a better year 3 than their collective Year 2's, neither one should be surprised if they don't receive a Year 4.

• Never say never with Chris Petersen still around, but this looks like the season Boise State's incredible run of dominance and top-10 finishes comes to a halt. The Broncos rank dead-last, rock-bottom, with just 6 starters coming back--3 offensive 2 defensive, and (infamous) kicker Dan Goodale. (Then again, in the newly TCU-less Mountain West, will anyone stop them regardless? The league leader in returning starters is Colorado State, with no other MWC program ranked higher than Fresno State at 29th.)

• It's possible Badger fans will rue their back-to-back failures at the Rose Bowl even more than they do already; with just 10 returning starters, Wisconsin ranks at the bottom of the Big Ten and 116th overall. Big Ten fans should instead gear up now for an even-more-critical Ohio State-Michigan game than usual; the Buckeyes are second in the league behind Indiana with 18 starters, and the Wolverines are tied with Nebraska for third with 16.

• The Vols, Auburn, Florida and Vanderbilt top the SEC list -- with 18 starters or more, all rank among the nation's 19 most experienced teams -- which means the league could see a more topsy-turvy season than usual; despite their cavalcade of young talent LSU returns just 5 defensive starters, national champions Alabama just 4. Despite major losses on the offensive line, Georgia looks poised to field the conference's best defense, with nine starters coming back for a unit already ranked fifth in the FBS.

• Why is USC getting so much early preseason love? Pretty simple: of the 10 teams listed in Bruce Feldman's early-bird top 10, the Trojans are one of just two to have as many as 17 returning starters. The other is Oklahoma, and since the Sooners finished the year getting chewed up and spit out by Oklahoma State while the Trojans were busy upsetting Oregon in Eugene and annihilating UCLA, it's not hard to see why voters might go for the former.

• Poor Al Golden: not only is his Miami team still laboring under the weight of the Nevin Shapiro allegations, not only do they rank 96th nationally and tie for next-to-last in the ACC with 12 returning starters, but according to Steele's data the Hurricanes are -- amazingly -- the only ACC team to not return its starting quarterback for next season. 

• Gus Malzahn is going to be one of the FBS's most closely watched mid-major head coaches after his move from Auburn, and with six returning starters including QB Ryan Aplin on offense, the Red Wolves should be fine on that side of the ball. But with just three starters back on defense, ASU ranks 116th overall and last in the Sun Belt in total starters returning. Opposite Malzahn's punishing up-tempo attack, we'd like to place an early wager on the Red Wolves as one the nation's statistically weakest D's in 2012 ... and on Malzahn needing at least two years to return ASU to last year's championship perch.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Florida head coach Will Muschamp was reportedly blindsided by the news that Charlie Weis was accepting the head coaching position at Kansas. On Wednesday, the Gators' head coach filled that opening on his staff with the hiring of Boise State's Brent Pease as offensive coordinator.

Pease, who will also coach the Florida quarterbacks, spent the previous six seasons on Chris Petersen's staff at Boise State. The 47-year-old assistant started his coaching career after a stint playing quarterback in the NFL, serving as an offensive coordinator at Montana, Northern Arizona, Kentucky, and Baylor before joining the Broncos' staff in 2006.

“I’m excited to join the University of Florida football family and The Gator Nation,” Pease said in an official release. “I’ve always had the utmost respect for Coach Muschamp and the UF program and I’m honored to have the opportunity to work at one of the premier institutions in the nation.

"I look forward to working with a tremendous coaching staff and, from what I hear, a great group of eager, young football players. Coach Muschamp and I share a lot of the same philosophies so this was a perfect fit. I want to be multiple in our offensive formations and have a balanced attack with tempo. I firmly believe in being fundamentally sound and red-zone efficient. I want to develop our players in a pro-style offense that can help them at the next level. ”

In his time at Boise State the Broncos posted a 73-6 record, won four conference championships, and made six postseason appearances - including two Fiesta Bowl wins. After coaching the wide receivers for five seasons, to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks' coach before the 2011 season following Bryan Harsin's departure for Texas. Under Pease's guidance, Maxwell Award winner Kellen Moore finished off his decorated career as the winningest quarterback in FBS history.

There will be high expectations for the entire Florida staff for a bounce back in 2012, but especially for the offense. The Gators were ranked tenth in the SEC in total offense in 2011, only better than Ole Miss and Kentucky. The unit was not helped by a revolving door at quarterback and injuries to key playmakers, but the fans in the Swamp are not used to performances like the 184 yards of total offense in a 21-7 loss to Florida State at home.

Muschamp will speak to the media Wednesday afternoon to discuss the hire, be sure to follow Gators RapidReports for further updates.

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Posted by Tom Fornelli

Boise State found out earlier this week that it doesn't have to worry about Chris Petersen going anywhere for a while, but for the second straight season the Broncos will be in need of a new offensive coordinator. According to the Idaho Statesman, Brent Pease is leaving the school to take an offensive coordinator job somewhere else.

Where exactly that other job is, however, isn't known at this point. Word is that Pease will be choosing between both Florida and Alabama, which is a pretty sweet position to be in. According to the report, Florida is the favorite as Charlie Weis left to take over the head coaching job at Kansas.

Pease replaced Bryan Harsin as offensive coordinator with the Broncos this season after Harsin left to run the offense at Texas. Pease was Boise State's wide receiver's coach from 2006-10 before leaving to take over as offensive coordinator at Indiana for a few days. Pease quickly returned to Boise after Harsin left to take the job at Texas.

Wide receivers coach Robert Prince is expected to take over as offensive coordinator for Pease at Boise State.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

After turning down potential opportunities with many of BCS programs across the nation, Boise State head coach Chris Petersen has officially reaffirmed his commitment to the Broncos with a new contract.

Chad Cripe, of the Idaho Statesman, reported Tuesday that Petersen and Boise State have agreed to a new five-year deal that will pay him "at least $2 million per year."

Petersen currently has a five-year, rolling contract that provides a $100,000 raise each season. He is scheduled to make $1.625 million in 2012 under his current deal, which was recently improved in October 2011.

The Statesman report states that the Idaho State Board of Education will consider the $375,000 salary increase during an emergency meeting on Wednesday. The final details will not be official until the next regularly scheduled meeting - set for Feb. 15-16 of this year.

Petersen received new deals in 2007, 2010, and now 2012 after replacing Dan Hawkins in 2006. While the new deal will feature a significant salary increase, it might set a firm end date to a contract that was previously extended one year every time the Broncos won at least eight games.

The Broncos' head coach was the top choice for many schools with coaching vacancies this offseason, but never showed any legitimate interest in leaving Boise. All contact was simply speculation, and Petersen's camp spent more time denying hopeful rumors of others than confirming any conversations.

The new deal increases the chances that Chris Petersen will see the Boise State football program through their transition into the Big East conference, set to occur before the 2013 season. The Broncos have had BCS dreams crushed by missed field goals in the last two seasons, and Petersen will at least have one chance to win his conference for a BCS bid.

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Posted by Jerry Hinnen

Well, you can't blame Penn State for trying, can you? 

The Nittany Lions are conducting what by their own admission has a been a "deliberate and measured" search for Joe Paterno's replacement and are the final FBS team to fill their 2011 head coaching vacancy. But any complaints would have been quickly silenced if they could become the program that finally pries away Chris Petersen from Boise State. It's no surprise a Penn St. official reportedly visited Idaho twice last week in an effort to make the program's pitch to Petersen. 

But like every other previous suitor for the Bronco coach's services, that pitch has fallen on deaf ears--if it was ever even heard in the first place. The Patriot-News's David Jones has reported that Petersen "has made it known he is not interested in Penn State's vacant head coaching position."

Jones writes that the decision is "no shocker," and surely it isn't; after he turned down all manner of high-profile jobs the previous several offseasons (including UCLA earlier this month), convincing Petersen to take a scandal-plagued position that several lesser coaches have already shied away from was always the longest of long shots.

But given the position Penn State finds itself in -- no coach and not even any real leads on one, with Signing Day rapidly approaching and the fanbase growing more nervous by the day -- Petersen was the kind of prize that was worth taking that shot anyway. The only criticism to be made is if that shot came out of desperation, and with it having failed, the search is poised to go on for several more days ... or even weeks.

Posted by Bryan Fischer

LAS VEGAS -- It wasn't the time (before Christmas) nor place (Las Vegas) that many had expected Boise State to wrap up the season but, alas, there the 11-1 Broncos were in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl against 6-6 Arizona State. The game went as expected, with the men from the blue turf blowing out the boys from the desert. There were trick plays and turnovers on one side, personal fouls and a 6-foot-8 quarterback on the other. All-in-all, another ho-hum victory for Boise while the ASU fans were able to continue the losing in the casinos after the game.

BOISE STATE WON. The bowl game was all about the end of prolific quarterback Kellen Moore's career and the successful senior class for Boise State. It wasn't a sharp performance by a team making a return trip to Vegas for a game they'd trade anything for to have "BCS" in front of the title but it was another 'W.' There were three turnovers by Moore alone - two picks and a fumbled snap - but that only kept the score closer than it could have been. There was a successful trick play for a touchdown, a staple of the team's run under head coach Chris Petersen, and plenty of points as the Broncos capped another 12-win season off with a victory.

HOW BOISE STATE WON: How didn't they win is a better question. BSU had touchdowns in all three phases of the game in a game they pretty much controlled from start to finish. There was Doug Martin's opening kick return for a touchdown, Jamar Taylor's 100 yard interception return for a score and, of course, a couple of tosses to the end zone by Moore. They nearly had a Yahtzee of college football scoring with TDs coming through the air, on the ground, via kick return and two on defense.

WHEN BOISE STATE WON: When Arizona State left the hotel? When the Broncos warmed up? As soon as the bowl match up was announced? It seemed that way. The tone was set early on when Martin took the opening kick return back for a touchdown and it seemed to be all blue from there on out. ASU had a few chances after grabbing some turnovers but never could capitalize. The back-breaker came in the third quarter when Brock Osweiler tossed a pick-six on the one-yard line that pushed the Boise lead to 35-10 and signaled the Sun Devils waving white flag.

WHAT BOISE STATE WON: The seventh-ranked Broncos captured their second-straight Maaco Bowl trophy with plenty of thoughts about "what could have been" this season. The senior group wrapped up their careers with 50 wins for a new school and FBS-record and capped the program's sixth straight 10+ win season.

WHAT ARIZONA STATE LOST: Dennis Erickson's last game for one. Uninspired, undisciplined and unfit to play, the Sun Devils appropriately sent their head coach out with a 31-31 record over five years in Tempe. The loss also drops the team below .500 on the season thanks to their fifth straight loss. It was a fitting end to the season really.

THAT WAS CRAZY: Kellen Moore cemented his 50th win as the starting quarterback of the Broncos, most in NCAA FBS history. He also wraps up his career with an insane 142-28 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

FINAL GRADE: B. The only reason why it even gets that grade is because it was Moore and the senior group's last game. Boise State at least made it entertaining with a few trick plays and touchdowns just about every way possible.

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Posted by Bryan Fischer

After letting go of head coach Rick Neuheisel and attempting to hire several big names, UCLA has finally found a head coach.

Former Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim L. Mora will be the new coach in Westwood, the school announced Saturday morning. The Bruins had attempted to hire Boise State's Chris Petersen, Houston's Kevin Sumlin and Washington's Steve Sarkisian before Mora took the job. This will be the first time the Bruins have hired a head coach who has not been an assistant coach or player at the school since 1949. The LA Times first reported the news Friday night.

"As someone who has been around the game of football my entire life, I have always held the UCLA job in the highest esteem," Mora said in the release. "Given its location and its tradition, UCLA is truly a sleeping giant and I realize that an opportunity of this magnitude doesn't present itself more than once in a career, so I jumped at the chance to be a Bruin."

Mora has been out of coaching since 2009 after being let go by the Seahawks. He has been in the NFL since 1985, including stops in San Diego, New Orleans, San Francisco and Atlanta. In four seasons as a head coach, Mora compiled a 31-33 overall record and reached the NFC championship game in 2004 before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mora was serving as an analyst for the NFL Network the past two years before being hired by UCLA. Better known as Jim Mora Jr., he lived in Los Angeles when his father, Jim Sr., coached at the school in 1974. The 50-year-old also played defensive back at Washington in the early 1980's.

"UCLA has always been a place of high expectations, as it applies to our students, our faculty, our researchers and, not least of all, our athletic program. With more NCAA championships than any other university, the reality is that our fans count on us to be great. The hiring of Jim L. Mora as head coach of UCLA football proves that this is still a place where champions are made and integrity matters," said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.

The Bruins went 6-7 on the season under Neuheisel, losing 50-0 to crosstown rival USC and most recently to Oregon in the first ever Pac-12 Championship game last week.

UCLA will play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on December 31 with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson serving as interim head coach.